Category Archives: Homelessness Problem

There is such a huge homelessness problem in Seattle that in 2015, the city declared a state of emergency. To tackle this issue, Seattle and various organizations are pitching in efforts. Amazon—yes, you heard it, the company behind Amazon.com—has devoted 47,000 square feet of its new office space to be a Mary’s Place location. Mary’s Place is a nonprofit that runs several homeless facilities meant for families and women. The Mary’s Place location that Amazon is sponsoring will have 65 rooms that will provide safe spaces for more than 200 individuals to sleep in.

In the previous year, Amazon worked out a deal where Mary’s Place would temporarily settle in a hotel located on a lot that Amazon purchased. Mary’s Place will be staying there until the new Amazon campus is completely built. Already, workers at Amazon volunteer their time to work at the shelter and to visit its residents. They help to make the quality of life at the shelter as nice as possible by arranging arts and crafts projects, as well as parties for families. They also bring food. Mary’s Place Residents and Amazon workers are expected to move in together by the early part of 2020. Mary’s Place does amazing work for the health, safety and well-being of women and families.

Tech giants such as Amazon and Microsoft are sometimes accused by critics for contributing to a tech boom that has resulted in a crisis of people not being able to attain affordable housing. However, they are making their best efforts to help those in society who are less fortunate. This past April, the co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen, gave $30 million to help soothe the homelessness crisis in Seattle. In January, companies such as Alaska Airlines, Microsoft, Expedia and Starbucks raised $4.5 million while taking part in a “No Child Sleeps Outside” campaign.